Butternut or Acorn Squash

[La Quinta]

Anybody tried to smoke these? I have a recipe for a brown ale maple glaze and I thought why not smoke them? Sounds like it would go well together. The recipe calls for the squash to be steamed. Or should I smoke them (a bit) then steam? Or the other way around? Then glaze? (I'm confusing myself here)!!! Help?

[Habanero Smoker]

I've smoked acorn squash a few times. If I have room I usually throw them in while I am smoking something else. I generally cut them in half and scrap out the seeds. Place them cut side down on a rack and apply maple smoke for 40-60 minute, at about 200°F. The smoking temperature is not important, because I finish them off in the oven. The best part is that you don't have to put them in the oven right away. You can time it to finish them in the oven to be severed with the rest of the meal.

I never steam my acorn squash, just add the ingredients and roast. Is the beer also used for steaming? After the smoke period I place them in a greased casserole pan or on a cookie sheet, cut side up. For each half I add 1 pat of butter, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, with salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a 375°F preheated oven for 45-60 minutes. Until the flesh is tender. Some add water to the pan while baking, but I never do.

You can also add chopped pecans to your glaze, that gives the squash a nice add taste and texture.

[Wildcat]

That sound really good Hab.  Another thing to add to the "to do list"!

[Habanero Smoker]

That a standard recipe (except for the smoke) for Acorn squash, and is a favorite during the fall months. I forgot to mention, if you add chopped nuts, add them during the last 10-15 minutes of baking or the nuts may burn.

The syrup will collect at the center, at times I will baste the tops with the syrup a few times during roasting. To get them to stand up, slice a small section off the bottoms, to create a flat surface; taking care not to cut into the flesh.. For the tops you need to trim off the stem to get them to stay up right. Some times after they bake I may stir in some chopped granny smith apple, or apple sauce into the syrup.

[La Quinta]

So do you scoop out the flesh and do something with it...or eat it out of the "bowl"? How about filling the "bowl" after they're cooked with something? Smoked sausage and rice...or something else?

[Habanero Smoker]

Sorry for any confused instructions. It's been a rough weekend, sciatic nerve problems.

Leave the flesh in during the entire time. Cut them length wise and only scoop out the seeds and the fibrous material that sticks to the seeds and to part of the flesh. This will leave you a small hollow to put your ingredients in. During baking as the sugar and butter melts and blend with the maple syrup, it will pool in the hollow. So there is a small hollow, but I would not call it a bowl. At that point you can stir in about 1 or 2 tablespoons of chopped apple. I guess you could add some cooked crumbled sausage.

The finished product is usually served as it comes out of the oven. An individual serving is half of a squash, and you eat the flesh out of the shell (bowl).

Hope this helps. You should try this. This is one of my favorite vegetable, smoked or not. I prefer it not smoked, but adding smoke is a good thing.

[MoSmoke]

Hab,
That sounds like a great recipe for baking squash, I love squash and also sweet potatoes.
I've never tried to smoke squash, but since I got the OBS if I can get it in and the door closed, I'll try smoking most anything.
Sorry to hear about the sciatic nerve problem. I know where you are coming from there.
It doesn't take much to set mine off.

MoSmoke

[La Quinta]

Ever try to skin it and cube and smoke after that? The entire process of peeling off the skin (with a knife) makes me think that you'd lose 1/3 of it? It's not like you can do it with a veggie peeler. Or cook it skin on? Wouldn't the skin soak up most of the smoke?

[Habanero Smoker]

La Quinta
You probably could do it with butternut squash, but for acorn squash, the tough skin and the ridges in the shape you would loose at least 1/3. My concern with cubing the squash then smoking is that it may produce to heavy of a smoke flavor. You are greatly increasing the surface area that will be in contact with the smoke. I find that most vegetables do not need too much smoke.

For acorn squash I've always smoke with the skin on, with the cut side down. I get enough smoke adhesion and penetration to provide a nice smokey flavor.

[La Quinta]

You're right too much smoke cubed. I'm gonna try the butternut as you explained and see how that comes out! Thanks!

[Gizmo]

La Quinta,
Congratulations on the promo to Jr. Member.

[La Quinta]

Holy Moly...who knew? Not me...but how cool is that!!! Thanks for pointing it out!!! Junior member is so...well...junior.. to all of you guys! It's an honor for me! Maybe I just talk too much!!! (I get accused of that all the time by my husband) I'm sure it"s not true....

[NESmoker]

I just got my pucks so I am going to do my first smoke with the OBS!!

I have some pork loin and some lamb. I also have 2 butternuts so I am going to try and smoke them as well.

My plan will be to halve and deseed the squash and cook cut side down. Once soft enough I plan to mash with some butter and nutmeg. I'll report back later with how it came out.

-NES

[Buck36]

Here is one I like. See the smoky section for using the Bradley.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

For the soup:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diced onion
1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced celery
1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced carrot
1 cinnamon stick
Sea salt, preferably gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander, optional
1 1/2 cups Roasted Winter Squash recipe
1/2 cup half-and-half, optional
To serve:
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, optional
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds, optional


Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken stock and the coriander, if using, and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.

Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.)

Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm until service.

To serve:
Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with the cheese and pumpkin seeds, if desired.


Roasted Winter Squash:
About 3 pounds butternut squash (preferably 1 large squash)
Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dark unsulfured molasses
2 teaspoons Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown, pull the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage, sugar, vinegar (stand back so as not to get splattered), molasses and toasted spice rub. Mix well and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well, then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny.

Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Serving suggestions: Serve the puree on its own as a side dish for roast chicken, turkey, or pork; stir into polenta just before the end of cooking; use as a stuffing for ravioli; make into a soup; or use to flavor pastina. Or omit the sage, season with ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to taste, and use as a substitute for canned pumpkin in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.

Variation for Smoky Butternut Squash: Cook the prepared squash on a baking sheet in a covered grill with soaked chips to give a slightly smoky taste. Substitute in any of the recipes that call for roasted squash. If cooking kabocha, acorn, or other difficult-to-peel squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds, and rub the insides and cut edges with the vinegar/molasses mixture. Place on a baking sheet, cut sides up, and roast at 400 degrees F until tender. Scoop out and puree.

Yield: about 2 cups puree


Toasted Spice Rub:
1/4 cup fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/4 cup (1-ounce) pure California chili powder
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool.
Put mixture into a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

Chef's notes: Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor.

Taste your chili powder before adding and, if spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chilies are almost sweet, not hot.

Yield: about 1 cup

[La Quinta]

Wow Buck...those look awesome...Thank You!!!